1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dispenser and a control method thereof, and a refrigerator using the same, and, more particularly, to a dispenser and a control method thereof, and a refrigerator using the same, which can smoothly discharge objects.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a device that automatically discharges objects such as a beverage, ice, etc., is called a dispenser. Recently, the dispenser has become widely used in refrigerators. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator with a dispenser. As shown therein, the refrigerator comprises a main cabinet 1 partitioned into a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment, having front openings, and a refrigerating compartment door 2 and a freezing compartment door 3 opening/closing the respective front openings of the refrigerating and freezing compartments. The freezing compartment door 3 is provided with the dispenser, including a discharging lever 4 to be operated for taking out ice made inside the freezing compartment.
FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of a conventional dispenser. As shown therein, the dispenser comprises a motor 130 employed in discharging the ice, a switching part 120 to be turned on/off by the discharging lever 4, and a controller 110 to control the motor 130 to operate or stop according to the on or off state of the switching part 120.
Further, the dispenser includes a discharging shutter (not shown), provided in the freezing compartment door 3, to expose and cover a discharging hole (not shown) through which the ice is discharged, wherein the discharging shutter is opened by the rotation of the discharging lever 4. Opening of the discharging shutter is physically interlocked with the rotation of the discharging lever 4, and closing of the discharging shutter is electrically controlled by the controller 110. The controller 110 controls a valve relay 116, and thus operates a solenoid valve 140, thereby making the discharging shutter cover the discharging hole once five seconds have passed since the switching part 120 is turned off.
In the conventional dispenser, the rotation of the discharging lever 4 causes both the switching part 120, for operating the motor 130, and the discharging shutter to be simultaneously turned on and opened, respectively. However, it is possible that the switching part 120 may not be turned on as the discharging lever 4 is rotated, even though the discharging shutter is opened. In this case, the controller 110 cannot operate the solenoid valve 140 because no indication of the subsequent off state of the switching part 120 is sent to the controller 10. Therefore, the discharging shutter does not cover the discharging hole, which allows frost to be deposited around the discharging hole.
Conversely, it is possible that the discharging shutter is not completely opened though the switching part 120 is turned on as the discharging lever 4 is rotated. In this case, the controller 110 senses the on state of the switching part 120 and controls the motor 130 to push the ice toward the discharging hole, but the ice is blocked by the discharging shutter, thereby allowing frost to be deposited around the discharging hole.